Summers County OKs bid for John Henry park project

ByThe Associated Press

HINTON, W.Va. -- The Summers County Commission has awarded a bid for the first phase of the John Henry Historical Park Project.

Union Concrete of White Sulphur Spring will build a two-lane gravel access road from W.Va. Route 3 into the park in Talcott. The project also includes a gravel parking lot and relocating a statue of the folk hero into the park.

The Register-Herald reports that the County Commission approved Union Concrete's bid this week. The project is expected to cost $189,000.

According to legend, railroad steel-driver John Henry won a race with a steam drill during construction of the Big Bend Tunnel in the 1870s. After besting the machine, the exhausted Henry collapsed and died.